SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Thousands of bikers converged on the capitol Saturday to showcase the power they can harness acting together.
It made for a dramatic picture. Those who spoke up said they feared lawmakers were trying to silence their lifestyle.
Proud, packed in, and showing their patches at the state capitol, California bikers of all different clubs came together to form the massive crowd.
“As you can see, we’re all getting along. So it’s not what people think it is,” said biker Dominique Jordan.
It’s a political statement against legislation they fear will target their lifestyle.
“Get all of us together, focused on the same issue, and try to show that we have unity and strength in numbers,” said biker Dave Hastings.
Motorcyclist associations from all across California were invited to the rally. One of their priorities is protecting their right to wear motorcycle patches.
“We ride with each other, wear different names on our backs,” said Jordan. “It’s one love.”
Some fear lawmakers are working to make wearing fluorescent safety vests mandatory for motorcyclists, which could force bikers to conceal the club names they proudly sport.
“Now it’s a Second Amendment thing to come after our patches, but if they can show it as a safety — put a reflective vest over us — they’ve essentially done the same thing,” said biker Greg Coppes.
“For us to wear fluorescent vests, that’s construction stuff right there. That’s not meant for bikers to wear,” said Jordan.
It’s their political bid to keep from covering up their own identities.
The bikers also rallied to keep lane-splitting legal and to repeal the California helmet law.